"Now the elitist (and infinitely better lived) staff of The New York Times has released a handy visual-aid with which to gain a more accurate view of Kentucky’s penchant at topping every worst-of list you can imagine." [LEO Weekly]

"Environmentalists combing through public records allege they have found a third Kentucky coal company that has submitted potentially fraudulent water-pollution monitoring data to state agencies. Five environmental groups on Wednesday alleged that 12,000 violations of Clean Water Act reporting requirements occurred at 15 Nally & Hamilton Enterprises, Inc., mining operations in seven eastern Kentucky counties." [Courier-Journal]

"Senate Democrats tried unsuccessfully to persuade the Senate on Wednesday to reconsider its decision to deny confirmation for two minority women appointed to the state parole board by Gov. Steve Beshear. Ultimately, the Senate voted against reconsidering its Tuesday decision to not confirm Monica Edmonds and Maria Mooney. The Republican majority in the Senate also refused to confirm Cecil Dunn, Marvin Russow, Lawrence O’Bryan, David M. Williams, Joe Childers and Thomas Whetstone late Tuesday night. Senate Republicans refused to turn over documents on Tuesday explaining why some people were confirmed and some were not. That move angered Senate Democrats, who said the public has a right to know why people were not appointed. Many of the appointees had left the private sector to take the appointed positions and now will be without a job, Democrats said." [Bluegrass Politics]

"Artists and arts advocates, who have been outspoken about his frustrations with the Fund for the Arts CEO Allan Cowen, will demonstrate outside the fund’s offices later this week." [WFPL]

"Faced with declining revenues and the retirement of its founders, the 47-year-old Louisville Bach Society will cease operations at the end of its current season." [WFPL]